Il Mare Ending Explained, Plot, Cast, And More

Il Mare ending explained here in this article, we delve into the intricacies of the film's ending, exploring the themes of love, time, and destiny, to uncover Il Mare's hidden truths behind this, so don't skip this.

by Tamilchandran

Updated Apr 24, 2023

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Il Mare Ending Explained, Plot, Cast, And More
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Il Mare 2000

Lee Jung-Jae and Jun Ji-Hyun star in the 2000 South Korean film Il Mare, which was made by Lee Hyun-Seung. Il Mare, which translates as "The Sea" in Italian, refers to the seaside home where the story takes place. Although they are two years separated in time, the two characters are able to connect via a mystifying mailbox. Warner Brothers adapted the movie in 2006 as the American movie The Lake House, starring Sandra Bullock and Keanu Reeves.

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In 2015, the Indian Kannada film Minchagi Nee Baralu borrowed the movie's plot. The Lake House, an American remake starring Sandra Bullock and Keanu Reeves, will be released by Warner Brothers. Sonny Mallhi, Amit Walia, and Chris Krapek all contributed to its co-production, which saw its June 16 release. The name of the restaurant where Kate and Alex are supposed to meet was "Il Mare" in homage to the first film.

Il Mare Ending Explained

Sung-hyun (Jung-Jae Lee), still angry and feeling rejected by Eun-ju (Ji-hyun Jun) absence in 2000, requests Eun-ju to stop her ex-boyfriend from departing for the US without her in 1998. Eun-ju reluctantly accepts, believing that if they can't grow close to one another, then perhaps it isn't meant to be. Sung-hyun learns in 2000 that Eun-ju was the architect behind the mansion she witnessed being built on the day of their unsuccessful meeting.

She understands that Eun-ju lost her life in a hit-and-run incident in 1998 while attempting to assist her. She hurries to the beach house Il Mare out of desperation and leaves him a message pleading with him not to leave, which starts a new timeline. Although the resolution is unclear, it seems that Sung-hyun's action changes the timelines. In her 2000 version of events, Eun-ju has passed away, and Sung-Hyun is now responsible for his passing.

However, in the 1998 version of events, Eun-ju receives the letter just in time to escape his fate. previously Sung-hyun enters Il Mare as previously, he departs. He introduces himself and tells the tale of their enigmatic correspondence, which will no longer take place when she moves out in 1999. The movie "Il Mare" (2000) has an open-ended ending that leaves viewers with multiple possible interpretations.

Some viewers think it implies a parallel reality or a time loop in which Eun-joo and Sung-hyun are condemned to repeatedly experience the same things. Others view it as a metaphor for love's ability to transcend time and location. However, the precise reason is still up for debate because the movie purposely leaves several issues unexplained to encourage individual interpretation and thought.

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II Mare Plot

The movie begins as Eunju moves out of her house "Il Mare '', leaving behind a Christmas card for whoever will be the new owner of the house. It is the year 1999. She requests in the letter that any mail addressed to her that is delivered to this address be forwarded to her new address in the city. The first owner of "Il Mare," Seonghyun, is then seen moving in and discovering Eunju's Christmas letter in his mailbox.

The year is shown to be 1997, which is two years earlier. Because he believes this was a prank, he writes her a letter informing her that the year is 1997 and not 1999. The two eventually come to grips with the fact that they are separated by a gap of two years yet are still able to correspond via the mailbox and develop a connection through their correspondence.  This relationship develops into love, but it is a love that is unavoidably complicated by the passage of time and the fact that Eunju is still emotionally if not physically, linked with her ex-boyfriend, whom she still harbors the dream of seeing again someday. 

Seonghyun tries to mend Eunju's relationship even after he realizes he is in love with her even though they eventually come to realize they are both in love and strive to meet. This attempt fails for an unknown reason to Eunju, but Seonghyun's death on the route to their rendezvous is the real reason. Knowing this two years in advance, she sends a note to him as a warning. On the day she would have left Il Mare, he takes the letters instead and goes to the house.

Il Mare Cast

  • Lee Jung-jae as Sung-hyun
  • Jun Ji-hyun as Eun-joo
  • Kim Mu-saeng
  • Jo Seung-yeon
  • Min Yun-jae
  • Kim Ji-mu
  • Choi Yoon-yeong
  • Lee In-chul
  • Kwon Yeon-gyeong.

Il Mare meaning

The Italian word "Il Mare" means "the sea" or "the ocean" in English. In the setting of the movie "Il Mare" (2000), it alludes to a beach home with the same name where the main protagonists, Eun-ju and Sung-hyun, correspond via a fantastic mailbox that enables them to do so while being in different decades. The mystery surrounding the mailbox serves as the basis for the plot of the movie, and the beach home Il Mare acts as a symbolic location where the protagonists' love transcends time and place.

Il Mare where to watch?

Il Mare movie is available on Netflix and Amazon Prime Video and vice versa in selective countries.

Watch on Netflix:

  • Open the Netflix website or app on your compatible device.
  • Sign in or sign up: If you are not already a Netflix subscriber, you will need to sign up for an account. If you already have a Netflix account, sign in with your email and password.
  • Search for "Il Mare 2000": Use the search bar on the Netflix website or app to search for "Freaky 2020. You can either type in the title or use the voice search function if available.
  • Check availability: Once you find the movie in the search results, click or tap on it to view its details page. Check if "Il Mare 2000" is available for streaming in your region. If it is, you should see a play button or an option to add it to your watchlist.
  • Click or tap play: If Il Mare 2000 is available for streaming, click or tap on the play button to start watching the movie.

Watch on Prime Video:

  • Open the Amazon Prime Video website or app on your compatible device.
  • Sign in: Sign in with your Amazon account if you are not already signed in.
  • Search for "Il Mare": Use the search bar on the Amazon Prime Video website or app to search for "Il Mare (2000)". You can either type in the title or use the voice search function if available.
  • Choose rental or purchase: Once you find the movie in the search results, click or tap on it to view its details page. You should see options to either rent or buy the movie.
  • Click or tap on "Rent" or "Buy": Choose the option that you prefer - "Rent" if you want to rent the movie for a temporary period of time, or "Buy" if you want to purchase the movie and have permanent access to it.
  • Complete the transaction: Follow the prompts to complete the rental or purchase transaction, which may involve selecting the desired video quality, confirming the payment method, and confirming the rental or purchase price.
  • Start watching: Once the rental or purchase is complete, you should be able to start watching "Il Mare" on Amazon Prime Video. You can either stream it online or download it for offline viewing, depending on the options available.


Disclaimer: The above information is for general informational purposes only. All information on the Site is provided in good faith, however we make no representation or warranty of any kind, express or implied, regarding the accuracy, adequacy, validity, reliability, availability or completeness of any information on the Site.

Il Mare ending explained - FAQs

1. What was the ending of Il Mare?

Eun-joo is going to put her Christmas card in the mailbox at "Il Mare" in the closing scene, which takes place at the beginning of the film. A stranger approaches her holding the note that Eun-joo wrote to Sung-hyun telling him not to attend the meeting.

2. Is The Lake House a remake of Il Mare?

Yes, The Lake House is the remake of the 2000 South Korean film Il Mare.

3. Where is Il Mare located?

Il Mare, which means "the sea" in Italian, is a stunning beach home situated in Korea's picture-perfect countryside. 

4. Do Mare and The Lake House have a happy ending?

Il Mare, Italian for 'the sea', is a beautiful beach house located in the idyllic countryside of Korea. 

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